The Ducks have rounded out Greg Cronin’s coaching staff by hiring Brent Thompson and David Rook as assistants.
Thompson, 52, has spent most of the past decade working in the New York Islanders organization, coaching their AHL team in Bridgeport (Conn.) for the past nine seasons and serving as an assistant with the Islanders from 2012 through 2014. Part of his time in Bridgeport would have overlapped with Cronin’s tenure as an assistant with the Islanders.
Rook, 55, is the assistant goaltending coach, joining the Ducks after spending five seasons as the goaltending development coach in the Nashville Predators organization. Sudarshan “Sudsie” Maharaj, the Ducks’ long-time goaltending coach, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer after the end of the regular season.
With the Ducks, Thompson will be tasked with running the defense, taking the spot of Mike Stothers, who remains with the organization as special advisor to coaching mentorship. Stothers was diagnosed with Stage 3 melanoma in March, subsequently underwent surgery and was back on the ice at development camp last week.
Thompson played 121 NHL games, having been drafted by the Kings in 1989 (No. 39 overall) in the second round. His stint with the Kings lasted parts of three seasons – he scored his only NHL goal with the Kings during the 1993-94 season – and went on to play 39 games with the Winnipeg Jets and one with the Phoenix Coyotes in 1996-97. He has two sons playing in the NHL: Tyce with the New Jersey Devils and Tage, who is coming off a 47-goal, 97-point season with the Buffalo Sabres.
Among the regulars Thompson helped develop in his time in the Islanders/Bridgeport organizations: Ryan Strome (now with the Ducks), Casey Cizikas, Calvin de Haan, Scott Mayfield and Adam Pelech.
The official Thompson announcement was made by the Ducks on Tuesday, and Rook has already started with the Ducks, having been on the ice during development camp.
Rook brings more than 20 years of coaching experience, including multiple stints with the London Knights (OHL), and has been goaltending coach with the Columbus Blue Jackets and goaltending consultant/AHL coach with the St. Louis Blues organization.
